Comments on: The Mouse Print in Black Friday Sale Ads

By: pnaw10dotcom

pnaw10dotcom — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:51:09 +0000

@Jen – Yes, Walmart does normally price-match items (as long as the ad lists a specific price, they don’t match “X percent off”). But this article was about Best Buy not price-matching items on Black Friday.

@Chris S – You’re right, the big box retailers DO get their own special models of certain items (computers, TVs, etc.) made just for their chain. When Wal-Mart had a “pre-Black Friday” sale earlier in November, they were offering a Compaq laptop for $300. But the specs were not posted on the website, and sure enough, the model number (which included the letters “WM”) was not searchable on Compaq’s own website. You had to go to the store, wait in line and see the actual item to see the specs. (And much to my surprise, it actually was a pretty good deal. Further to my surprise, my local store had more than 70 laptops, when the ad promised a minumum of 10.) But even with just 10 per store, think of how many Wal-Mart stores there are… it’s no surprise that Wal-Mart can get a manufacturer to make a “custom model” that can’t be price-matched elsewhere.

@Ron – Not surprised to hear what Big M is doing. I live in Central NY, not too far from the corporate HQ of Big M’s owner, Penn Traffic. They’ve been in and out of bankruptcy for years, battling all sorts of financial problems. Usually, P&C supermarkets (the Penn Traffic stores in my area) are more expensive than the others. The only thing worth going to P&C for is their weekly sale items — of course, as you mentioned, IF they’re actually in stock! No question this company needs to make more money to stay alive, but treating customers like this isn’t the way to do it.

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:30:02 +0000

In response to buying black friday items online- I have purchased items from toysrus.com before, during, and after the black friday sale at the black friday price. If course the “big ticket” items sell out fast online, as they do in the stores. I have NEVER had a problem purchasing items. If they are out of stock there is also a comment saying that this item is temporarily unavailable for purchase. It is a great service that the retailer even offers items at the reduced prices online, and usually extend it beyond the in store ad time. I know this has saved me A LOT of money this Christmas!! Also, Walmart does price match items from other ads, I know because I have done it with quite a few items. The items they offer are usually not found at other retail stores, but the common items other stores carry, Walmart will honor the price match policy.

By: MARGUERITE

MARGUERITE — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:29:47 +0000

“We apologize for, but will not be bound by, any errors in our advertisements.”
If Wal-mart is not responsible for their errors, who is? The customer?
IN RESPONSE – THE FACT REMAINS THAT A HUMAN SOMEWHERE GENERATED THE AD OR COMMUNICATION & THAT PERSON CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A MINUTE ERROR THAT MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF THOUSANDS IF NOT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. A PERSON WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO WORK UNDER SUCH PRESSURE, THEN IMAGINE THE ERRORS! EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO PROOFREAD VERY CAREFULLY BUT ERRORS WILL HAPPEN AND GIVEN THE TIME CONSTRAINTS OF THE PRINTING BUSINESS IT’S JUST A FACT OF LIFE. IF WALMART ABSORBED SUCH ERRORS I WOULD THINK THEIR PRICES WOULD BE GOING UP SOON. EVERY GROCERY AD I EVER DESIGNED ALWAYS HAD A DISCLAIMER ON IT – “NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PRINTING ERRORS.” FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

By: Christine

Christine — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 09:36:14 +0000

I’m sure you have all heard that one of the sales reps attempting to stave off the crowd at a Wal Mart by trying to hold the electronic doors that the crowd was pushing against minutes before the 4 AM opening. The door gave way and the “shoppers” stampeded like a herd of cattle and trampled the Wal Mart Employee to death. What insanity. I’m wonder if Wal Mart considers this collateral damage. The hardest thing for me to believe is that not one person tried to help him. Where was all the pepper spray we carry on our key chains to escape from muggers?

By: ellen

ellen — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:02:22 +0000

To me Black Friday is like a professional liqiudation sale. No real bargains. It is similar to the Linens and Things liquidation. I ran into the store before the liquidators took over with my 20 per cent off coupons. I bought all their garment bags on the shelf. I asked the management if there were any more because I would buy their whole stock. They said no. 5 days later after the liquidators took over there were 10 more garment bags but only ten per cent off instead of the 20 per cent off I got.

I started to stay home on Black Friday 25 yrs ago. Too much craziness andI remeber the stores opened at 7 not 4.